Portal thrombosis: Percutaneous transhepatic treatment with urokinase — A case report

We present a case report of a patient suffering from portal and superior mesenteric vein thrombosis secondary to splenectomy. No surgical procedure could be performed due to the extension of thrombus.Local fibrinolysis treatment with urokinase through a percutaneous transhepatic approach was decided upon, and this procedure had a successful patient outcome.     

多层螺旋CT及其门静脉造影在TIPS联合胃冠状静脉栓塞术前应用价值

目的：探讨多层螺旋CT（MSCT）及多层螺旋CT门静脉造影（MSCTP）在经颈静脉肝内门体分流（TIPS）联合胃冠状静脉栓塞（GCVE）术前应用的价值。方法对126例肝硬化门静脉高压伴发食管胃底静脉曲张破裂出血或顽固性腹水拟行TIPS联合GCVE患者,术前行MSCT及MSCTP检查。采用最大密度投影（MIP）、多平面重组（MPR）、遮蔽表面显示（SSD）和容积再现（VR）等后处理技术全面了解肝脏情况。结果 MSCT及MSCTP能清晰显示肝硬化肝脏形态变化、肝静脉与门静脉空间位置关系、门静脉侧支循环开放程度和范围以及腹水等情况,为TIPS联合GCVE术前评估提供了重要的解剖信息。结论 MSCT 及MSCTP 是无创性检查并明确诊断肝硬化门脉高压症的可靠方法,对 TIPS 联合GCVE术中准确引导门静脉穿刺及曲张静脉栓塞治疗具有重要指导意义。     

Percutaneous transhepatic catheterization of the portal venous system

During recent years, percutaneous transhepatic catheterization of the portal venous system has become the most accurate procedure for investigation of the portal system. The procedure can be performed under local analgesia, is relatively simple, and complications are rare. The success rate is high, approximately 90%, especially when the liver hilum is localized by ultrasonography prior to catheterization. The free portal pressure can be measured. Selective catheterization of all portal tributaries can be performed. The indications are: portography in patients with cirrhosis of the liver and portal hypertension for delineation of collateral vein systems including gastro-oesophageal varices; visualization of veins that may be used for portosystemic shunt operations; postoperative control of shunt patency; diagnosis of portal and hepatic vein thrombosis; localization of stenosis in the portal vein system; pre-operative evaluation of patients with tumours in the biliary tract and pancreas; obliteration of bleeding oesophageal varices; and verification and localization of endocrine pancreatic tumours making curative resection possible. Further, transhepatic catheterization of the portal system may be used in research on the development of portal hypertension, collateral veins, variceal bleeding, and for haemodynamic, metabolic and pharmacologic studies in the gastrointestinal tract.     

Usefulness of cone-beam computed tomography during balloon-occluded retrograde transvenous obliteration

Abstract

Objective: The purpose of our investigation was to evaluate the usefulness of cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT) in balloon-occluded retrograde transvenous obliteration (B-RTO) for gastric varices. Material and methods: Between December 2010 and March 2011, four patients underwent B-RTO for gastric varices that occurred after portal hypertension. In all, after insertion of sclerotic agents, CBCT was used to observe distribution of the sclerotic agent in the gastric varices and afferent gastric veins. Investigated was whether the entire gastric varices and afferent gastric veins were confirmed by retrograde venography performed when the sclerotic agent was infused and by CBCT obtained after insertion of the sclerotic agent. Results: On CBCT obtained after insertion of the sclerotic agent, distribution of sclerotic agents in the gastric varices and afferent gastric veins was clearly visualized. On the other hand, retrograde venography was inferior in detecting the area of distribution of sclerotic agents and the afferent gastric veins. Conclusion: Application of CBCT is helpful to precisely evaluate the distribution of sclerotic agents in B-RTO.     

Portal imaging by intravneous three-dimensional computed tomography after pancreaticoduodenectomy: A report of four cases

By employing three-dimensional computed tomography (CT) for portography, we analyzed the portal vein changes during the initial stage after a pancreaticoduodenectomy (PD), which seemed to affect postoperative complications. Four patients underwent PD without portal vein reconstruction with a standard radical lymph node dissection for cancer of the pancreaticoduodenal area. A total of 140 ml of contrast medium was intravenously injected at 2.5 ml/s, and imaging was started after 65 s with a Hitachi W-2000 CT scanner. Three-dimensional portal vein images were then reconstructed by the Voxel Transmission method. Three-dimensional CT showed portal stenosis in our all patients from the first to the third week after PD. In three of the patients, stenosis disappeared by week 7,8, or 15, respectively, without the formation of a bypass. In three patients, portal vein stenosis was severe while in one patient, it was mild. Severe complications such as gastrointestinal hemorrhaging and hepatic abscess occurred in two patients with severe portal stenosis. The onset of portal stenosis might therefore affect postoperative complications after PD.     

肝动脉和经动脉门脉造影螺旋CT联合应用对肝癌术后复发的诊断价值

目的：探讨螺旋CT扫描在肝动脉造影CT（CTHA）和经动脉门脉造影CT（CTAP）对肝癌术后复发的诊断价值。方法：分析50例肝癌术后患者定期行CTAP和CTHA图像,并与甲胎球蛋白（AFP）、螺旋CT三期增强扫描进行对照。结果：AFP检出21个（58.3%）,三期增强扫描检出24个病灶（68.6%）,CTHA、CTAP联合应用发现已切除后复发34个（94.4%）。结论：CTAP和CTHA联合应用,肝癌病灶检出率明显高于甲胎球蛋白（AFP）、螺旋CT三期增强扫描。     

Percutaneous Transhepatic Portography for the Treatment of Early Portal Vein Thrombosis After Surgery

We treated three cases of early portal vein thrombosis (PVT) by minimally invasive percutaneous transhepatic portography. All patients developed PVT within 30 days of major hepatic surgery (one case each of orthotopic liver transplantation, splenectomy in a previous liver transplant recipient, and right extended hepatectomy with resection and reconstruction of the left branch of the portal vein for tumor infiltration). In all cases minimally invasive percutaneous transhepatic portography was adopted to treat this complication by mechanical fragmentation and pharmacological lysis of the thrombus. A vascular stent was also positioned in the two cases in which the thrombosis was related to a surgical technical problem. Mechanical fragmentation of the thrombus with contemporaneous local urokinase administration resulted in complete removal of the clot and allowed restoration of normal blood flow to the liver after a median follow-up of 37 months. PVT is an uncommon but severe complication after major surgery or liver transplantation. Surgical thrombectomy, with or without reconstruction of the portal vein, and retransplantation are characterized by important surgical morbidity and mortality. Based on our experience, minimally invasive percutaneous transhepatic portography should be considered an option toward successful recanalization of early PVT after major liver surgery including transplantation. Balloon dilatation and placement of a vascular stent could help to decrease the risk of recurrent thrombosis when a defective surgical technique is the reason for the thrombosis.     

Use of spiral and non-spiral computed tomography arterial portography in the detection of potentially malignant liver masses

The present study assesses the usefulness of computed tomography (CT) arterial portography (CTAP) in detecting and defining the number and anatomy of potentially malignant liver lesions. One hundred and one adults studied in 1993 and 1994 were retrospectively reviewed, including patients with primary or secondary tumours for possible resection and patients with non-hepatic malignancies in whom the detection of liver metastases would preclude surgery. Twenty-three patients underwent non-spiral CT studies and 78 had studies on a spiral unit, with 22 of these having single phase and 56 having dual phase studies to overcome artefact problems. The relationship between lesion size and detection sensitivity is critical. On non-spiral studies, the overall lesion detection sensitivity and positive predictive value was 69 and 90%, respectively. Detection sensitivity was 100 and 20% for lesions > 1 cm and < 1 cm, respectively. On single phase spiral CTAP the overall detection sensitivity and positive predictive value was 80 and 66%, respectively. Detection sensitivity for lesions > 1 cm and < 1 cm was 100 and 0%, respectively. On dual phase spiral CTAP the overall detection sensitivity and positive predictive value was 76 and 71%, respectively. For lesions > 1 cm and < 1 cm the sensitivity was 81 and 55%, respectively. Eighteen patients with non-hepatic malignancies with unsuspected metastatic spread did not proceed to major surgery because of liver metastases detected on CTAP. Perfusion artefacts occurred in 30 and 64% of non-spiral and of initial portal venous spiral CTAP studies, respectively. By using the double-phase technique, these artefacts were substantially diminished. In conclusion, CTAP is a valuable tool for assessing the presence, site and size of possible liver tumours and confers a benefit even when previous ultrasound and conventional CT have already been used. In addition, CTAP has a lower limit of useful resolution of approximately 1 cm. Perfusion artefacts can be reduced by a dual phase protocol.     

Involvement of superior mesenteric vessels and portal vein in pancreatic adenocarcinoma: Detection with CT during arterial portography

A prospective study was designed to determine the utility of computed tomography (CT) during arterial portography (CTAP) in the detection of superior mesenteric vessels and portal vein involvement in patients with pancreatic adenocarcinoma. Eighteen patients with adenocarcinoma of the head of the pancreas and eight patients with benign pancreatic disease were investigated with CTAP, dynamic contrast-enhanced CT, and angiography. Appropriate review was made to determine presence or absence of superior mesenteric vessels and portal vein involvement. Final diagnosis was obtained in all cases by surgical explorations. The overall accuracy rate for detecting or excluding superior mesenteric vessels and portal vein involvement was 96% (25 of 26 patients) with CTAP, 88% (23 of 26 patients) with dynamic contrast-enhanced CT, and 85% (22 of 26 patients) with angiography. No statistically significant difference in accuracy was found among the three techniques. Our results suggest that the use of CTAP is not indicated in the preoperative detection of superior mesenteric vessels and portal vein involvement in patients with pancreatic adenocarcinoma.     

A large inferior mesenteric-caval shunt via the internal iliac vein

A large portosystemic shunt between the inferior mesenteric vein and the right internal iliac vein in a 28-yr-old non-cirrhotic man is presented. This collateral was discovered by ultrasound done as a screening examination for gastrointestinal bleeding. The direct communication of the inferior mesenteric vein with the internal iliac vein was demonstrated by computed tomography and percutaneous transhepatic portography. Surgical ligation of the collateral, performed to prevent future portosystemic encephalopathy, resulted in reduction of serum ammonia level and cessation of long-standing hemorrhoidal bleeding.